>    Here is a caution:  A beekeeper in our area fed his bees with
>    paste type
> feed placed in a cattle pasture.  The cattle got into the feed, and
> several of them died before anyone know anything was amiss.
 
That's an important warning.
 
I see many beekeepers feed for years with open feed in pastures full
of cattle, but then every so often, a bunch of cattle are killed.
 
BTW, open feeding is not as uneven as some claim, particularly when
used for fall feeding up here in the north.
 
Some hives fill sooner than others, but then lose interest in
foraging.  If sufficient feed is available the others will catch up.
The early gainers might be considered for breeding the next year,
since there apparently has been a proven direct correlation between
rapid gain and season production.
 
Hives that are heavy *before* feeding should be examined -- they may
be queenless -- or they may just be late in developing, and have put
their crop in the brood nest.
 
Any that do not gain in feeding are likely duds, and should be
shaken out or combined so that the remaining feed is not wasted.
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>